Show hits the stage Friday-Sunday

The three storytellers, from left; Richard Owen, Jacob Reyes and Mike Flint, dicuss which stories they should tell, during rehearsal for Sterling Miracle Players' upcoming production of "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)," which hits the stage Friday, Dec. 20. (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

STERLING — “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Frosty the Snowman,” the birth of Jesus. Whatever your favorite holiday story is, you'll be able to hear it in Sterling Miracle Players' upcoming production of “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!), hitting the stage Friday.

Richard Owen, Jacob Reyes and Mike Flint star in the play, as three storytellers who decide that instead of telling the Charles Dickens' classic, “A Christmas Carol,” for the millionth time, they will tell that story along with “Every Christmas Story Ever Told,” with some help from the audience.

The Grinch (Richard Owen) and his sidekick Max (Jacob Reyes), with help from Cindy Lou Who (Amelia Hupke), tell the story of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," during a rehearsal for Sterling Miracle Players' upcoming production of "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)" (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

In addition to the familiar holiday stories, the production will also feature some stories with a twist. For example instead of the classic story of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” the audience will be treated to the tale of Gustav the Green Nosed Reindeer.

When not busy telling stories the storytellers will share information about holiday traditions around the world.

Director Dana May said SMP decided on doing this holiday play because they “wanted to do something easy to give back to the community without having to have a million people involved.”

While the cast may be small, the set design is turning out to be anything but easy, with Christmas decorations filling up the stage. Look hard and you'll see something on set from just about every previous production the group has done.

For the three actors in the production, working together is nothing new.

“We've known each other forever and we've done a lot of plays together,” Flint said.

For Reyes, “it's a holiday tradition.”

Storyteller Richard Owen tells the story of how Gustov the Green Nosed Reindeer saved Chrsitmas, during a rehearsal for Sterling Miracle Players' production of "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) (Callie Jones/Journal-Advocate)

While it's taken a lot of hours of hard work to prepare, the three are enjoying working with each other again.

“It's really fun to try to play off these two. I never know what's going to come out of their mouths,” Owen said about Reyes and Flint. “It's always a challenge to purposely try to make someone laugh.”

Those who attend the production will get to enjoy some holiday comedy with the added bonus of supporting local students. A portion of the proceeds from the show will go to local educational music programs.

“Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)” show times are 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, at the Dorothy Corsberg Theatre on the Northeastern Junior College campus.

The cost is $5 per person. Tickets will be available at the door or at www.sterlingmiracleplayers.org.

To find out more about SMP's upcoming events, visit their website or like them on Facebook.

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